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U.S Presidents — Rutherford B. Hayes

OVERVIEW Name: Rutherford B. Hayes President: # 19 Term Number(s): 23 Term Length: 4 Took Office: March 4, 1877 Left Office: March 4, 1881 Age when Elected: 54 Party: Republican Also Known As: "Dark-Horse President" BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Education: Kenyon College, Harvard Law School Occupation: Lawyer Other Governmental Position: 32nd Governor of Ohio, 29th Governor of Ohio, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 2nd District. Military Service: Brevet Major General in the United States Army (Union Army) Religion: Christian Spouse(s): Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (December 30, 1852) Children: Birchard Austin Hayes, James Webb Cook Hayes, Rutherford Platt Hayes, Joseph Thompson Hayes, George Crook Hayes, Fanny Hayes, Scott Russell Hayes, Manning Force Hayes Birthdate: October 4, 1822 Birthplace: Delaware, Ohio Deathdate: January 17, 1893 Deathplace: Fremont, Ohio Age at Death: 70 Cause of Death: heart attack Place of Internment: Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio Signature FIRST ELECTION Election Year: 1876 Main Opponent: Samuel J. Tilden Voter Participation: 81.80%   Electoral Popular States Click for larger image Winner 185 (50.00%) 4,034,311 (47.50%) 20 Main Opponent 184 (49.86%) 4,288,546 (51.50%) 18 total 369 8,413,101 38 CABINET AND COURT APPOINTMENTS Vice President: William A. Wheeler Secretary of State: William M. Evarts (1877–1881) Secretary of the Treasury: John Sherman (1877–1881) Secretary of War: George W. McCrary (1877–1879), Alexander Ramsey (1879–1881) Secretary of the Navy: Richard W. Thompson (1877–1880), Nathan Goff, Jr. (1881) Secretary of the Interior: Carl Schurz (1877–1881) Attorney General: Charles Devens (1877–1881) Postmaster General: David M. Key (1877–1880), Horace Maynard (1880–1881) Supreme Court Assignments: John Marshall Harlan (1877), William Burnham Woods (1881) PRESIDENT'S BIOGRAPHY Beneficiary of the most fiercely disputed election in American history, Rutherford B. Hayes brought to the executive mansion dignity, honesty, and moderate reform. To the delight of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Lucy Webb Hayes carried out her husband's orders to banish wines and liquors from the White House. Born in Ohio in 1822, Hayes was educated at Kenyon College and Harvard Law School. After five years of law practice in Lower Sandusky, he moved to Cincinnati, where he flourished as a young Whig lawyer. He fought in the Civil War, was wounded in action, and rose to the rank of brevet major general. While he was still in the Army, Cincinnati Republicans ran him for the House of Representatives. He accepted the nomination, but would not campaign, explaining, "An officer fit for duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to electioneer... ought to be scalped." Elected by a heavy majority, Hayes entered Congress in December 1865, troubled by the "Rebel influences ... ruling the White House." Between 1867 and 1876, he served three terms as governor of Ohio. Safe liberalism, party loyalty, and a good war record made Hayes an acceptable Republican candidate in 1876. He opposed Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York. although a galaxy of famous Republican speakers, and even Mark Twain, stumped for Hayes, he expected the Democrats to win. When the first returns seemed to confirm this, Hayes went to bed, believing he had lost. But in New York, Republican National Chairman Zachariah Chandler, aware of a loophole, wired leaders to stand firm: "Hayes has 185 votes and is elected." The popular vote apparently was 4,300,000 for Tilden to 4,036,000 for Hayes. Hayes' election depended upon contested electoral votes in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Florida. If all the disputed electoral votes went to Hayes, he would win; a single one would elect Tilden. Months of uncertainty followed. In January 1877 Congress established an Electoral Commission to decide the dispute. The commission, made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats, determined all the contests in favor of Hayes by eight to seven. The final electoral vote: 185 to 184. Northern Republicans had been promising southern Democrats at least one cabinet post, federal patronage, subsidies for internal improvements, and withdrawal of troops from Louisiana and South Carolina. Hayes insisted that his appointments must be made on merit, not political considerations. He chose men of high caliber for his cabinet, but outraged many Republicans because one member was an ex-Confederate and another had bolted the party as a Liberal Republican in 1872. Hayes pledged protection of the rights of blacks in the South, but at the same time advocated the restoration of "wise, honest, and peaceful local self-government." This meant the withdrawal of troops. Hayes hoped such conciliatory policies would lead to the building of a "new Republican party" in the South, to which white businessmen and conservatives would rally. Many of the leaders of the new South did indeed favor Republican economic policies and approved of Hayes' financial conservatism, but they faced annihilation at the polls if they were to join the party of Reconstruction. Hayes and his Republican successors were persistent in their efforts but could not win over the "solid South." Hayes had announced in advance that he would serve only one term, and retired to Spiegel Grove, his home in Fremont, Ohio, in 1881. He died in 1893. FIRST LADY'S BIOGRAPHY Lucy Ware Webb Hayes There was no inaugural ball in 1877. When Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife, Lucy, left Ohio for Washington, the outcome of the election was still in doubt. Public fears had not subsided when it was settled in Hayes' favor; and when Lucy watched her husband take his oath of office at the Capitol, she impressed even cynical journalists. Lucy came to the White House well loved by many. Born in Chillicothe, Ohio, daughter of Maria Cook and Dr. James Webb, she lost her father at age two. She was just entering her teens when Mrs. Webb took her sons to the town of Delaware to enroll in the new Ohio Wesleyan University, but she began studying with its excellent instructors. Lucy graduated from the Wesleyan Female College in Cincinnati at 18, unusually well educated for a young lady of her day. "Rud" Hayes at 27 had set up a law practice in Cincinnati, and he began paying calls at the Webb home. References to Lucy appeared in his diary: "Her low sweet voice is very winning ... a heart as true as steel... Intellect she has too... By George! I am in love with her!" Married in 1852, they lived in Cincinnati until the Civil War, and he soon came to share her deeply religious opposition to slavery. Visits to relatives and vacation journeys broke the routine of a happy domestic life in a growing family. Over twenty years the couple had eight children, of whom five grew up. Mrs. Hayes won the affectionate name of "Mother Lucy" from men of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry who served under her husband's command in the war. They remembered her visits to camp—to minister to the wounded, cheer the homesick, and comfort the dying. Hayes' distinguished combat record earned him election to Congress, and three postwar terms as governor of Ohio. She not only joined him in Washington for its winter social season, she also accompanied him on visits to state reform schools, prisons, and asylums. As the popular first lady of her state, she gained experience in what a woman of her time aptly called "semi-public life." Thus Mrs. Hayes entered the White House with confidence gained from her long and happy married life, her knowledge of political circles, her intelligence and culture, and her cheerful spirit. She enjoyed informal parties, and spared no effort to make official entertaining attractive. Though she was a temperance advocate and liquor was banned at the mansion during this administration, she was a very popular hostess. She took criticism of her views in good humor (the famous nickname "Lemonade Lucy" apparently came into use only after she had left the mansion). She became one of the best-loved women to preside over the White House, where the Hayeses celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in 1877, and an admirer hailed her as representing "the new woman era." The Hayes term ended in 1881, and the family home was now Spiegel Grove, an estate at Fremont, Ohio. There husband and wife spent eight active, contented years together until her death in 1889. She was buried in Fremont, mourned by her family and hosts of friends. MAJOR EVENTS 1877: Hayes withdraws federal troops from the South marking the end of Reconstruction. 1877: Great Railroad Strike. Hayes sends federal troups to defuse riots which break out in several cities. 1877: Munn vs. Illinois. This landmark Supreme Court decision states that business interests (private property) used for public good should be regulated by the government. 1878: Bland-Allison Act is vetoed by Hayes. This act calls for the U.S. Treasury to purchase a set amount of silver and circulate it as silver coinage. 1878: Yellow Fever Outbreak. An outbreak of yellow fever in the Mississippi River Valley causes the death of 20,000 people. 1879: Though rarely used, the first telephone is installed in the White House. TRIVIA 1. Rutherford B. Hayes was the first president to use the telephone. 2. Hayes was the first president to be elected after losing the popular vote. 3. To set a good example for the country, Hayes banished liquor and wine from the White House.